As noted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,869 in conditions of extreme cold, water pipes supplying domestic water sometimes freeze. In former times these pipes were usually made of metal, and could be thawed using electrical resistance heating or external heating. Nowadays, however, many pipes are made of plastic and cannot be thawed by these methods. Apart from this, use of electricity has its dangers. Therefore there is a need for deicing devices that can be used to thaw metal and non-metallic pipes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,039 describes a machine for thawing frozen pipes by forcing hot water from a heated water reservoir through a flexible tube advanced into the pipe as the ice melts with means to return water and melt to the reservoir through a duct sealed to the end of the pipe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,553 describes an apparatus for thawing a pipe having a frozen blockage therein, the apparatus including a self-contained unit on wheels, the unit including a tank for holding water, an electric immersion heater in the tank for heating the water to a temperature of 100°-150° F., a pump supported on the unit, a foot switch connected to the pump, a pressure control connected to the pump, a reel of flexible polyurethane hose and a reel of return hose mounted on respective sides of the tank, and a conical coupling for connecting to one end of the frozen pipe, the coupling including a compression fitting for engaging around the flexible hose, and a T-shaped return fitting for connecting to the return hose. The flexible hose is pushed through the compression fitting towards the frozen blockage and emits a stream of water under pressure from the pump that erodes and eliminates the frozen blockage, and return water is pushed from the blockage back to the return fitting and through the return hose to the container thereby providing a closed loop system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,869 describes an apparatus for thawing frozen pipes or for cleaning pipes, for use with a source of warm thawing water or cleaning water, a source of compressed air, and a flexible tube suitable for being inserted into the end of a pipe through guide means to feed the water into the pipe while the tube is being advanced into the pipe. The apparatus comprises a valved water conduit having an inlet for connection to the source of water and an outlet for connection to the flexible tube, this conduit having a movable valve. A compressed air powered drive, usually a rotator, connectable to the source of compressed air, is arranged to move the valve in such manner as to continually interrupt the flow of water in the conduit and so to produce a pulsating flow of water in the tube for thawing ice in the frozen pipe or cleaning the pipe. The rotator for the valve may be a compressed air driven ratchet drive. A valve may also be provided for injecting air into the pipe to clear out ice or dirt.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,821 describes a micro heater assembly, provided with a micro heater on the distal end of an elongated support wire. Micro heater is insertable into a frozen pipe to reach the frozen area of the pipe whereat to thaw pipe from within safely and cost-effectively.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed,